


He's My Best Friend

by ErogenousAirHockeyHole



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One)
Genre: Amica Endurae, Fluff, M/M, Multi, Poly bots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-06
Updated: 2017-05-06
Packaged: 2018-10-28 15:58:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10834548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ErogenousAirHockeyHole/pseuds/ErogenousAirHockeyHole
Summary: "Sometimes I worry he doesn't know how important his friendship is to me."





	He's My Best Friend

**Author's Note:**

> Fluffy fic that came out of my hopeless CD/RW/BS poly headcanon. Operates on the assumption that the Amica Ritus can serve as a way to bond partners in a poly relationship.

The dim light of a datapad shone in the near-darkness of the quiet habitation suite. Its screen reflected off of Rewind's visor. He was curled up in Chromedome's lap on their shared berth and added annotative comments as Chromedome patiently scrolled through the datapad, digesting its contents. 

Eventually, the two came to a section where Rewind had relevant video footage archived; The historian wasted no time in sitting back and firing up his projector. The film flickered to life on the hab suite wall; He narrated the particulars. 

Chromedome squeezed the mini's shoulder pauldron affectionately. “You know, nights like this are my favorite.” He loved hearing Rewind go on about topics he enjoyed. 

Rewind glanced back at his partner, the film wobbling around the hab. “Let me just...” His projector shut off, darkening the room. “There.” Adjusting his position in Chromedome's lap, he wrapped both arms around the bigger mech's waist. “Mine, too,” he said. 

The two love-addled mechs were startled out of their romantic stupor when the sound of their hab suite door whirring open broke the room's silence. 

Chromedome glanced over at the doorway, where a half-slumped-over Brainstorm was trudging into the hab. “Brainstorm?” He lifted an optic ridge. 

“I know what you're thinking,” Brainstorm lifted a finger to protest, “'I should be working on my Top Secret project!'” 

“I'm thinking 'You're overworking yourself again.'” Chromedome gently lifted Rewind from his lap to set him on their berth, getting up to approach Brainstorm and offer him a supportive shoulder. “Primus, you look exhausted... How long have you been up?” 

Feeling his weight shift onto his shoulder appreciatively, Chromedome made to help him onto the mostly-unused extra berth (which was kept in the hab because some mechs insisted upon certain regulations). He found himself dragging Brainstorm along, limp. “Brainstorm, buddy...?” 

He mumbled something faintly in reply, but seemed otherwise out cold. 

Chromedome sighed. This wasn't the first time Brainstorm had come into his and Rewind's hab suite and passed out. He was doing a number on his frame and processor, he knew it. At least if he hauled him into the free berth, he'd recharge for tonight. 

Rewind, who had been observing this whole admittedly unusual scenario, kicked his pedes back and forth as he sat comfortably on his own berth. His optics met Chromedome's—Chromedome's tired, worried optics. “I know. You're worried about him.” 

Chromedome made sure his friend looked comfortable and gave an exasperated sigh. “Yeah, well—he's an asshole and he's killing himself. Somebody's got to worry about him!” He sat next to Rewind, who patted him on the back. 

“He's my best friend,” he said from behind his servos. “I know he's really into his work, but I don't like seeing him sacrifice his health for it. And I'm aware of the irony of that. And I don't deserve you.” He shook his head. “Either of you.” 

Rewind just smiled. “I'm lucky to have you. And I'm glad you have him.” 

“Sometimes I worry he doesn't know how important his friendship is to me,” Chromedome said.

 “Have you thought about becoming Amica Endurae?” Rewind said. 

Chromedome was slightly taken aback. Not that he hadn't thought about the possibility, but Rewind was the last mech he'd imagined making the suggestion. And it wasn't as if there weren't Conjunx Endurae who'd created bonds of Amica Endura with others, but... it was generally something agreed upon beforehand by everyone involved and, well, suddenly having a shot at this thing with Brainstorm was more of a shock than anything else.

 “I, uh...” He glanced at Brainstorm just to verify that he was totally out of it. “Thought about it? I guess, but... Are you sure? Hell, _I'm_ not sure.” 

Rewind looked Chromedome in the optics and squeezed his arm. “I want you to be happy. I'm not saying it wouldn't be complicated, but who said this has ever been easy?” A laugh escaped his vocalizer. “If you decide that's something that you want, then, Domey... I'll support that.” 

Chromedome picked Rewind up in a hug. Rewind was always so good to him. Through all the crazy shit they'd been through, that one thing had never changed. 

–

 Chromedome's optics lazily blinked online as the whole of his body awakened from recharge. Rewind had given him a lot to think about last night. He'd done his best to put it out of his mind in the moment, but a kinship with Brainstorm wasn't a prospect he wanted to ignore, either, and, well... it seemed this cycle wouldn't give him much time to be alone with non-Brainstorm-related thoughts, either. 

He gathered himself and sat up on the berth. Rewind had already left their hab for the morning and the extra berth also lay unoccupied. Brainstorm seemed to have completely passed out the night before. Unless there were some kind of emergency, there's only one place he'd be this early... 

His processor still coming online, he approached Brainstorm's workshop and pinged him to request entry using the switches outside the door. Lately even those close to Brainstorm weren't just allowed inside his workshop; he kept it locked at all times, and it was safe to say that even Rodimus had no idea what went on inside that room in the wee hours of the night. Chromedome, at the least, was allowed to watch his friend work (sometimes). 

The door to the workshop whirred open without a word from Brainstorm, who was hunched over a desk staring at a datapad. Chromedome stepped in. The place was littered with datapads filled with calculations, weapons experiments, and parts he wasn't even sure of the intended function of. Come to think of it, he also wasn't sure of the intended function of most of the weapons, either. 

“Did you even actually sleep last night?” he said. 

“Thanks for letting me stay with you and Rewind last night,” Brainstorm said without looking up from his work. “You two make good company.” 

Chromedome approached him and pulled at his shoulder, trying to tear his optics away from the datapad. “I might have less trouble believing that if you didn't just stumble into our hab suite and pass out.” Brainstorm shrugged his shoulder out of Chromedome's grasp, but he just replaced his servo. “You've gotta rest. At least come to our hab again—you shouldn't be sleeping here of all places.” 

Brainstorm whirled around, gesturing defensively. “Just leave me be. These calculations are private. Classified information. I don't need your help.” Chromedome hated to see him like this. He was a workaholic, to be sure, but usually the times that bled into self-neglect were either very brief or not terribly intense. The mnemosurgeon's expression drooped, and he turned to leave.

 “Look, buddy... I'm sorry.” Brainstorm set his datapad down. “Coming to see you two sounds pretty alright.”

 Chromedome looked back and smiled. “Rewind's planning a movie tonight at our hab. It'd be nice to have you there.”

 –

 Rewind's projection flickered on the hab suite wall. It had been a quiet evening; The minibot snuggled his Conjunx Endura on their shared berth, the two of them watching his projection and exchanging quips about the picture. His helm rested in the larger mech's lap, projecting the film at an awkward angle for viewing, but... they weren't really here for the film.

 Chromedome's spark glowed. He really did love this more than anything. It was comfortable, it was safe... and it was with his favorite mech.

 A bright light was transposed onto the film projection as the couple's hab suite door opened.

 “Brainstorm?” Chromedome turned to confirm the identity of their guest, who lazily trudged into the hab and sat down next to him. “Hey, I'm glad you came.” He looked absolutely exhausted, his optics dim and plating scuffed. “Are you alright?” Chromedome's optics betrayed his worry.

 “Yeah,” he muttered, leaning against Chromedome. “I'm alright.”

 “Uh, Brainstorm...” Chromedome started nervously, nudging Rewind. “You've been working yourself to death lately, and...” He nudged Rewind again, who glanced back up at him and nodded. “Look, you're my best friend. You know that. But I know you're going through _something_ right now, and--”

 His monologue was cut short by Rewind's laughing.

 “What?” He arched an optic ridge.

 “He's recharging.” Rewind stifled another laugh.

 Chromedome's servo met his faceplate. Primus... This would have to wait another night. 


End file.
